1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical connection device particularly for use in a production test environment.
2. The Prior Art
It is common, in the manufacture of electronic equipment, to include test procedures on the manufactured articles to ensure that they function correctly. Typically, a production item of electronic equipment, such as a device for use in a computer network, comprises one or more printed circuit boards carrying the components and circuitry necessary for the device to perform its desired function, an enclosure in which the circuit boards are positioned and a plurality of external connectors enabling connection to be made with the circuitry within the device enabling the device to function. Typically test procedures include making electrical contact with the external connectors to enable the application of electrical signals to the circuitry within the device and to record the response.
The present invention is concerned simply with the making of this electrical contact during the test procedure and the actual test procedures which are conducted do not form part of this invention.
One type of electrical connector which is well known to be used for signal inputs and outputs to electronic devices such as devices for use in a computer network, are RJ45 connectors. These particular connectors are push fit connectors which provide an eight terminal connection (although not all of the eight terminals need be used in any application) and are used for connecting cables carrying data signals. In a standard 10-base 2 Ethernet network, it is necessary to connect two twisted pairs of data wires within the cable, and so four of the eight above mentioned connections are used. In other applications, all of the connections may be used either as loop-back or direct connections.
A standard RJ45 connector also has a mechanical interlock between the male part of the of the connector and the female part, which is formed of a resilient member which forms a latch on insertion of the male part into the female part, and which must be deflected by user in order to break the connection. This therefore provides a mechanically secure connection, and the RJ45 connector is a widely used device. Other similar connectors are also known which operate on essentially the same mechanical principles, but are not formed as RJ45 connectors. For instance, similar plug and socket arrangements having a mechanical interlock, are widely used for the connection of telephone terminal apparatus both in domestic and private exchange situations.
In a test environment where it is desired rapidly to make and break electrical connections to devices in order to enable as many devices as possible to be processed, the use of "proper" male RJ45 connectors to connect to the female connectors on the device under test has disadvantages. In particular, the mechanical interlock complicates automated operation. The interlock system is, as mentioned above, designed for manual operation and may therefore be not simple to automate, and in any event it would increase the test cycle time if it were necessary to make and break the mechanical interlock for each socket under test. Further, standard RJ45 connectors and other similar style connectors may not be constructed to be sufficiently durable to be acceptable in a test environment before they fail.
An additional problem is that, although specified to be in a particular location on the exterior of electronic devices, the female connectors are subject to some variation in their exact position. Typically, the connectors are mounted on a PCB which in turn is mounted within the enclosure of the device such that they are presented to the exterior. These mountings are subject to some variation which may be reflected in variation in the position or angle of the connectors as they are presented to the exterior.
In the test environment, the device under test is held in a specified location and an automated or robotic piece of machinery automatically inserts connectors into the connectors on the exterior of the device in order to perform the test procedures mentioned above. Although the variation in the exact positions of the connectors may only be of the order of 0.5 mm or less, this may be sufficient to cause difficulties with the insertion of rigidly mounted connectors by the automated machinery. These difficulties may be increased wear to the test connectors, or actual damage to the connectors on the device under test, or even it may be impossible to insert the connector at all in so that it becomes impossible to conduct the desired testing.